Machine for filling plastic packages with fluid products



May 3, 1960 G. BARDET ET AL MACHINE FOR FILLING PLASTIC PACKAGES WITH FLUID PRODUCTS Filed Sept. 27, 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 y 3, 1960 G. BARDET ET AL 2,934,868

MACHINE FOR FILLING PLASTIC PACKAGES WITH FLUID PRODUCTS Filed Sept. 27. 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 2,934,868 MACHINE FOR FILLING PLASTIC PACKAGES WITH FLUID PRODUCTS Filed Sept. 27, 1956 May 3, 1960 e. BARDET ET AL 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 "llllllllllllllllllllIllllllllllll ll/Ill IIIIII MACHINE FOR FILLING PLASTIC PACKAGES WITH FLUID PRODUCTS Grard Bardet and Andr Bertin, Paris, France, assignors to Societe de Materiel pour lIndustrie du Verre (Somiver), Lyons, France, a company of France Application September 27, 1956, Serial No. 612,474

Claims priority, application France December 6, 1955 17 Claims. (Cl. 53-37) The present invention has for its object an automatic machine ensuringcontinuously and without any reciprocating move'mentthe filling with liquid or liquefiable products of packages of the type constituted by bags of the type disclosed in French Patent No. 1,111,763 opening into, a common channel forming a connection bemovement and provided throughout its periphery with uniformly'distributed jflat' surfaces and a number of clamps equal to that of the fiat surfaces, said clamps being controlled by a stationary cam so as to control each the clamping of the channel section opening out of the corresponding bag through engagement of each clamp with the corresponding surface of the drum; this provides for the subjection of each bag along a succession of fractions of the circular path of said drum to the operative steps required for the packaging except the actual filling which is performed ahead of the drum by means of a nozzle engaging the channel common to all the bags, the separation between said bags and the common channel being performed on the downstream side of a wheel which feeds said channel and its bags tangentially with reference to the drum and beyond which said bags remain in engagement with the drum so as to be subjected to the further operative steps while the common channel after cutting off of the branch channels opening into the successive bags is constrained through its passage between two driving rollers to assume a tangential direction.

The filling of the bag is performed in an area located ahead of the drumand defined between the driving wheel registering with said drum and two presser rollers between which passes the strip of material forming the channel and bags, the length of said area being such that there remains ample time for the filling of each bag during the progression of the strip between said two rollers and said wheel.

In order to render any stoppage of the machine unnecessary during the substitution of a fresh reel for an exhausted reel and consequently with a view to increasing its efliciency, the packaging machine according to my unwinding and with a suitably designed connection table located between the two guiding rollers and the weighted rollers so as to allow connecting on the above-mentioned table the ends of the strips on the two reels. During this States Patent O cally by way of example and by no means in a limiting sense a preferred embodiment of said packaging machine.

'Ii-n of Fig. 1.

2,934,868 Patented May 3, 1960 connecting period, the roller rises inside the guiding membersprovided for it under the action of the strip of bags which is permanently drawn forwardly by the drum and the driving wheel associated therewith.

As to the drum at the periphery of which the various packaging operations are performed except for the actual filling of the bags, it is constituted in a preferred embodiment of the machine by a vertical cylinder the lower part of which is provided with uniformly spaced peripheral flat surfaces and in register with each of which is mounted a movable jaw adapted to engage said surface, said movable jaw forming a clamp with the stationary jaw constituted by the flat surface and being secured to a preferably elastic spindle so as to allow an energetic tightening of the clamp. In the case illustrated, each spindle passes vertically through the drum and its upper end is rigid with a crank on which is fitted a spindle revolubly carrying a roller moving inside a stationary cam-forming groove.

The accompanying drawings illustrate. diagrammati- In said drawings:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view of the machine as seen from above.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view on a larger scale through line Figs. 3, 4 and 5 are views on an enlarged scale of the successive stages of the application of a bag against a flat surface of the drum.

Fig. 6 is 'a diagrammatic plan view corresponding to V Fig. I.

Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic elevation showing the same Stages as Fig. 6 in developed view. e

The chief component of the machine is constituted by a drum 2 controlled by a motor M and assuming a continuous rotary movement over a frame 3 under the action of a motor which is not illustrated. Said drum is provided at the lower part of its outer' periphery with uniformly spaced fiat polygonal surfaces 4. A number of spindles 5 equal to that of the fiat surfaces 4 extend vertically through the drum in proximity with its periphery. Each spindle 5 carries at its lower end a movable jaw 6 forming a clamp in combination with the corresponding fiat surface 4 (Fig. 2). At its upper end, each spindle 5 carries a crank 7 provided with a short spindle 8 revolubly carrying a roller 9 housed inside a groove 10 formed in the lower surface of a stationary disc 12 extending over the drum. Said roller 9 moves inside said groove 10 which acts as a cam so as to provide through rotation of the cranks 7 and of the spindles 5 for the shifting of the jaws 6 towards and away from the corresponding fiat surfaces 4 with a view to closing and to opening the clamps in succession.

The drum 2 revolves over the frame 3 in register with stationary arcuate sectors forming the successive areas in which the different packaging operations are performed except as concerns the actual filling.

Said filling is performed inside an area A defined on the one hand by two presser rollers 13 between which the strip forming the bags and the channel interconnecting before it engages the drum 2. The filling of the bags in said area A is performed through the injection nozzle 15 connected with a containers16 located on the downstream side of the drum 2 and containing the product to be packaged. This feeding is performed through any suitable type of pump shown diagrammatically at P adapted to urge said product out of the container 16 into the input of the nozzle 15. Said nozzle 15 has an outline which is first rectilinear and then curvilinear, its curvature being defined by the arc of a circle having for its center the axis of the drum and for its radius the distance be tween said axis and the medial line of the nozzle bore.

The strip 18 engaging tangentially the drum 2 and the clamping jaws 6 being connected with the drum through the agency of theirspindles 5, it is necessary for each clamping jaw to pass through the strip 18 and to engage then through a rotary movement a corresponding bag in register with the fiat surface 4 of the drum 2 so that the bag is held fast against said surface by the jaw 6. This result is obtained by selecting for each spindle 5 a position such that the developed movement of the jaw 6 along its curvilinear path round said spindle may allow said jaw to pass through the passage formed in the strip 18 between the two branch channels connecting two successive bags with the common channel interconnecting same. This engagement between the bags and the clamps is performed in the arcuate area designated by B in Fig. 1. g It should also be remarked that the jaws 6 may be constituted in a manner such that they are not constrained to pass through the film 18 but clamp the bags underneath the filling nozzle.

Figs. 3, 4 and 5 illustrate clearly, as a matter of fact, the various steps leading to the clamping of a bag against a flat surface 4 of the drum through a jaw 6 and consequently to a securing of said bag to said drum.

The bags being thus urged against the flat surfaces of the drum 2, the strip of bags is drawn along the nozzle which is stationary in space, on the one hand by a traction erected on the downstream end of the strip by a driving roller 19 acting on the common channel of the strip from which the bags have been cut off and, on the other hand, by the actual jaws 6 which assume the same movement as the drum 2 so as to clamp and to drive along the corresponding bags in register with the location at which said bags and coresponding branch channels engage frictionally the nozzle 15. This drive is performed in the area designated by C in Fig. 1.

The cutting of the bag off the channel, which cutting has been referred to hereinabove, is obtained at a small distance above the clamp by a rotary wheel 21 assuming a high speed of rotation under the action of a stationary motor. This cutting is performed in the arcuate area designated by D in Fig. 1.

Beyond said area D the paths followed by the bags and by the common channel for the latter diverge. The bags which are now independent are, as a matter of fact, carried along by the drum 2 through the agency of the jaws 6 and they continue moving along a circular path with the drum while the common channel from which they have been severed is drawn by the driving roller 19 and is cut longitudinally by a blade L and assumes a tangential direction with reference to the drum.

The bags carried by the drum 2 pass then through an area designated by E in Fig. l and wherein the drying of their sections located above the jaws 6 is performed. The reason for this drying consists in that, after the severing of the bags through the cutter wheel 21, the section in which the cutting has been performed may remain moist, which might be objectionable for a proper subsequent welding. To remove this drawback, the cutsection of each bag is wiped and dried immediately upon cutting inside the area B either through its passage underneath a stationary nozzle feeding hot air as shown diagrammatically at N or through any suitable stationary wiping means.

The bags carried by the drum 2 reach then the area shown at F in Fig. 1, in which area the, bags are closed through welding. The closing thus obtained through one or more stationary means 22 may be obtained for instance through a thermic heating member such as an electric resistance, a gas distributor or the like, oragain through a wheel providing for impulse welding or through a high frequency electrode. The selection of the welding means depends obviously on the nature of the plastic material forming the bags.

The closed bags pass then through an area designated by G in Fig. 1, in which area the weld is stabilized. This stabilization may be obtained through the continuous passage of the closed bags which are still carried by the .jaws 6 either through the outer atmosphere or underneath stationary nozzle S feeding cool air or through any other suitable means.

This arrangement is also intended for the cooling of the jaws 6 and of the fiat surfaces 4 of the drum 2.

At the output end of the area G, the bags are released at H through an opening of the clamps under the control of the cam groove 10. The bags drop then into a crate or onto a conveyor belt which removes the bags to the desired point.

Beyond said bag-releasing area H, there remains an idle sector inside which any other desired operation may be performed if required. 7

The strip 18 out of which the bags are formed is wound on a reel 23 located ahead of the presse'r rollers 13; said film passes in the area comprised between said reel and said rollers 13 in succession, between the two guiding rollers 24.

In order to increase the yield of the machine, while avoiding any stoppage of the latter when one reel is substituted for another, it is of advantage, according to the invention, to equip said machine not only with a reel to be unwound, but also 'w'ith a spare reel 26 and with a "strip connecting table 27. Thus, when a reel is v n'eariii'g 'ekha'ustiom'the operator disengages the end of the strip off the reel 23 'andconnect's said end with the beginning of the strip on the spare reel 26, the connection being performed on the table 27 which is obviously designed so as to allow retaining the theoretical pitch between two successive bags at the moment of the assefnbly between the two terminal sections of the strips considered. This assembly may be ensured in a few seconds by an adhesive ribbon 2'8 wound round the channels of the two films to be interconnected, said winding being performed perpendicularly to the axis of said channels. This leads to the obtention of a fiuidtight connection between the films, which connection allows however 'a free circulation ofthe liquid between the end 'ofthe strip winding off the reel 23 and the beginning of the strip-on thereel 26. I g The operation of the machine can be-readily followed with reference to Figs. 6 and 7 v The supply of liquid for filling theindividual bags is made through the common duct to the necks of the individual bags. The nozzle 15 penetrates into this common ductwith a sliding fit to provide a seal preventing returnflow of the liquid. The common duct is filled from the nozzle and the liquid flows up to the rollers 13. Thus the common duct is filled from the nozzle to the rollers 13 in thezone -A. 'In this same zone the bags are filled with liquid flowing'from the common duct to the individual necks.

Thenozzle '15 is tangent to the drum 2 along an arc thereof.

The grippers 6 secured on the drum 2 torotate therewith are closed in-thezone B behind the tip of the nozzle 15. The closing of these grippers in this zone-squeezes the individual necks against a'flat 4 of the drum 2, both filling the bag and-suspending it.

When the bag squeezed in zone -B andstill connected to the common duct.proceedsupon-rotation of the drum to the-next station,v its neck engages the-rotary cutter 2.1

, positioned below the common duct but above the grippers 3 engaging the flat 4;

The common duct is slit along a straight generating line by knife L.

The slitting of the common duct is essential to permit ,the insertion of the nozzle 15.

Obviously, the invention is by no means limited to the sole embodiments disclosedhereinabove nor to those of the different component parts described hereinabove by way of example and it covers, in controdistinction, all the modifications thereof falling within the scope of the accompanying claims. In particular it is not essential for the clamps to have a vertical axis and to pass between two successive bags. i

What we claim is: I

1. A machine for packaging liquid products inside bags of plastic material opening into and depending at predetermined intervals from corresponding successive sections of a continuous strip-shaped common channel, said machine comprising a cylindrical drum provided throughout the periphery of a transverse section thereof with a succession of uniformly distributed substantially tangential flat surfaces spaced by intervals equal to the intervals between the bags, means for making said drum rotate in a continuous manner, means tangentially feeding the strip-shaped channel onto said transverse section of the drum to make the successive sections of said channel engage and progress with the drum over a predetermined angular path, means drawing the strip-shaped channel off the drum at the end of said predetermined path, clamping jaws facing the different fiat surfaces and shiftably carried by the drum between an inoperative outer position and an operative position engaging the corresponding flat surface, a stationary cam controlling the movement of the clamping jaws with reference to the corresponding flat surfaces to make said clamping jaws enter their operative positions to urge the latter-over the ends of the bags opening into the channel section which is about to engage the drum and thereafter upon return into their inoperative position to release the movable jaws at the end of said predetermined path, a nozzle opening into the strip-shaped channel ahead of last mentioned section of the channel engaging the drum, means feeding the liquid product to be packaged through the nozzle and the channel to fill the bags ahead of said section, means for severing the bags from the channel, and means for closing said severed bags as they travel with the corresponding channel section in unison with the drum before the end of their travel with the drum over said predetermined path.

2. A machine for packaging liquid products inside bags of plastic material opening into and depending at predetermined intervals from corresponding successive sections of a continuous strip-shaped common channel, said machine comprising a cylindrical drum provided throughout the periphery of a transverse section thereof with a succession of uniformly distributed substantially tangential flat surfaces spaced by intervals equal to the intervals between the bags, means for making said drum rotate in a continuous manner, means tangentially feeding the strip-shaped channel onto said transverse section of the drum to make the successive sections of said channel engage and progress with the drum over a predetermined angular path, means drawing the strip-shaped channel off the drum at the end of said predetermined path, clamping jaws facing the ditferent fiat surfaces, a plurality of spindles extending in parallelism with the axis of the drum, revolubly mounted therein and carrying each a corresponding jaw, a crank rigid with the end of the spindle opposed to said movable jaw and adapted to rock the spindle to shift the jaw between an inoperative outer position and an operative position engaging the corresponding fiat surface, a stationary cam controlling the movement of the clamping jaws with reference to the corresponding fiat surfaces to make said clamping jaws enter their operative positions to urge the latter over the ends of the bags opening into the channel section which is about to engage the drum and thereafter upon return into their inoperative position to release the movable jaws at the end of said predetermined path, a nozzle opening into the strip-shaped channel ahead of last mentioned section of the channel engaging the drum, means feeding the liquid product to be packaged through the nozzle and the channel to fill the bags ahead of said section, means for severing the bags from the channel, andmeans for closing said severed bags as they travel in unison with the drum before the end of their travel with the drum over said predetermined path.

3. A machine for packaging liquid products inside bags of plastic material opening into and depending at predetermined intervals from corresponding successive sections of a continuous strip-shaped common channel, said machine comprising a cylindrical drum provided throughout the periphery of a transverse section thereof with a succession of uniformly distributed substantially tangential flat surfaces spaced by intervals equal to the intervals between the bags, means for making said drum rotate in a continuous manner, a rotary wheel tangentially feeding the strip-shaped channel onto said transverse section of the drum to make the successive sections of said channel engage and progress with the drum over a predetermined angular path, two rollers located ahead of said wheel for guiding said channel onto said wheel, a reel carrying the channel and feeding it between the rollers over the rotary wheel onto the drum, means drawingthe strip-shaped channel off the drum at the end of said predetermined path, clamping jaws facing the different fiat surfaces and shiftably carried by the drum between an inoperative outer position and an operative position engaging the corresponding fiat surface, a stationary cam controlling the movement of the clamping jaws with reference to the corresponding flat surfaces to make said clamping jaws enter their operative position to urge the latter over the ends of the bags opening into the channel section which is about to engage the drum and thereafter upon return into their inoperative position to release the movable jaws at the end of said predetermined path, a nozzle opening into the stripshaped channel ahead of last mentioned section of the channel engaging the drum, means feeding the liquid product to be packaged through the nozzle and the channel to fill the bags ahead of said section between the rollers and the latter, means for severing the bags from the channel, and means for closing said severed bags as they travel in unison with the drum before the end of their travel with the drum over said predetermined path.

4. A machine for packaging liquid products inside bags of plastic material opening into and depending at predetermined intervals from corresponding successive sections of a continuous strip-shaped common channel, said machine comprising a cylindrical drum provided throughout the periphery of a transverse section thereof with a succession of uniformly distributed substantially tangential fiat surfaces spaced by intervals equal to the intervals between the bags, means for making said drum rotate in a continuous manner, a rotary wheel tangentially feeding the strip-shaped channel onto said transverse section of the drum to make the successive sections of said channel engage and progress with the drum over a predetermined angular path, two rollers located ahead of said wheel for guiding said channel onto said wheel, a reel carrying the channel and feeding it between the rollers over the rotary wheel onto the drum, means drawing the strip-shaped channel off the drum at the end of said predetermined path, clamping jaws facing the different fiat surfaces and shiftably carried by the drum between an inoperative outer position and-an operative position engaging the corresponding flat, surface, a stationary cam controlling the movement of the clamping jaws with reference to the corresponding flat surfaces to make said clamping jaws enter their opera tive position to urge the latter over the ends of the bags opening into the channel section which is about to engage the drum and thereafter upon return into their inoperative position to release the movable jaws at the end of said predetermined path, a nozzle opening into the strip-shaped channel ahead of last mentioned section of the channel and including a rectilinear section and a curvilinear section beyond the latter having the same radius of curvature as the drum and extending round the periphery of said drum and terminating in register with a point just beyond the point of tangency between said drum and said rotary wheel in the direction of progression of the drum and channel, means feeding the liquid product to be packaged through the nozzle and the channel to fill the bags ahead of said section between the rollers and the drum, means for severing the bags from the channel, and means for closing said severed bags as they travel in unison with the drum before the end of their travel with the drum over said predetermined path.

5. A machine for packaging liquid products inside bags of plastic material opening into and depending at predetermined intervals from corresponding successive sections of a continuous strip-shaped common channel, said machine comprising a cylindrical drum provided throughout the periphery of a transverse section thereof with a succession of uniformly distributed substantially tangential flat surfaces spaced by intervals equal to the intervals between the bags, means for making said drum rotate in a continuous manner, means tangentially feeding the strip-shaped channel onto said transverse section of the drum to make the successive sections of said channel engage and progress with the drum over a predetermined angular path, means drawing the'strip-shaped channel off the drum at the end of said predetermined path, clamping jaws facing the different flat surfaces and shiftably carried by the drum between an inoperative outer position and an operative position engaging the corresponding fiat surface, a stationary cam controlling the movement of the clamping jaws with reference to the corresponding fiat surfaces to make said clamping jaws enter their operative positions to urge the latter over the ends of the bags opening into the channel section which is about to engage the drum and thereafter upon return into their inoperative position to release the movable jaws at the end of said predetermined path, a nozzle opening into the strip-shaped channel ahead of last mentioned section of the channel engaging the drum, means feeding the liquid product to be packaged through the nozzle and the channel to fill the bags ahead of said section, means for severing the bags from the channel above the location of the movable jaws, means for drying the severed upper edges of the bags, means for welding said upper edges to close the bags, means for stabilizing the weld, said severing, drying, welding and stabilizing means being located in register with the predetermined angular path through which the channel progresses with the drum.

6. A machine for packaging liquid products inside bags of plastic material opening into and depending at predetermined intervals from corresponding successive sections of a continuous strip-shaped common channel, said machine comprising a cylindrical drum provided throughout the periphery of a transverse section thereof with a succession of uniformly distributed substantially tangential fiat surfaces spaced by intervals equal to the intervals between the bags, means for making said drum rotate in a continuous manner, means tangentially feeding the strip-shaped channel onto said transverse section of the drum to make the successive sections of said vchannel engage. and progress with the drum over a preferent flat surfaces and shiftably carried by the drum between an inoperative outer position and an operative position engaging the corresponding flat surface, a stationary cam controlling the movement of the clamping jaws with reference to the corresponding flat surfaces to make said clamping jaws enter their operative positions to urge the latter over the ends of the bags opening into the channel section which is about to engage the drum and thereafter upon return into their inoperative position to release the movable jaws at the end of said predetermined path, a nozzle opening into the stripshaped channel ahead of last mentioned section of the channel engaging the drum, means feeding the liquid product to be packaged through the nozzle and the channel to fill the bags ahead of said section, means for severing the bags from thechannel, means for closing said severed bags as they travel in unison with the drum before the end of their travel with the drum over said predetermined path, and means for drawing the channel from which the bags have been severed, tangentially off the drum at the end of said predetermined path.

7. A machine for packaging liquid products inside bags of plastic material opening into and depending at predetermined intervals from corresponding successive sections of a continuous strip-shaped common channel, said machine comprising a cylindrical drum provided throughout the periphery of a transverse section thereof with a succession of uniformly distributed substantially tangential flat surfaces spaced by intervals equal to the intervals between the bags, means for making said drum rotate in a continuous manner, means tangentially feeding the strip-shaped channel onto said transverse section of the drum to make the successive sections of said channel engage and progress with the drum over a predetermined angular path, means drawing the stripshaped channel off the drum at the end of said predetermined path, clamping jaws facing the different flat surfaces and shiftably carried by the drum between an inoperative outer position and an operative position engaging the corresponding flat surface, a stationary cam controlling the movement of the clamping jaws with reference to the corresponding fiat surfaces to make said clamping jaws enter their operative positions to urge the latter over the ends of the bags opening into the channel section which is about to engage the drum and thereafter upon return into their inoperative position to release the movable jaws at the end of said predetermined path, a nozzle opening into the strip-shaped channel ahead of last mentioned section of the channel engaging the drum, means feeding the liquid product to be packaged through the nozzle and the channel to fill the bags ahead of said section, a rotary wheel registering with the predetermined path, adapted to sever the bags from the channel, and means for closing said severed bags as they travel in unison with the drum before the end of their travel with the drum over said predetermined path.

8. A method for packaging a fluid product in the bags of a prefabricated string of plastic material, comprising a common channel of indefinite length and spaced branch channels depending from said common channel and opening into the corresponding bags, said method consisting in making the string progress continuously along a predetermined path, filling the bags through injection of the fluid into the common channel at a point thereof registering with a predetermined stationary point of its path, pinching in succession the branch channels as they pass in registry with a stationary point of said path ahead of last-mentioned predetermined point, cutting the successive branch channels off the main channel above the pinched areas thereof at a point located beyond said stationary predetermined points, shifting the pinched branch channels and bags off the main channel along an auxiliary path and closing the bags, the branch channels of which.

have been pinched and cut at a point of said auxiliary path. I

9. A method for packaging a fluid product in the bags of a prefabricated string of plastic material, comprising a common channel of indefinite length and spaced branch channels depending from said common channel and opening into the corresponding bags, said method consisting in making the string progress continuously along a predetermined path, filling the bags through injection'of the fluid into the common channel at a point thereof registering with a predetermined stationary point of its path, pinching in succession the branch channels as they pass in registry with a stationary point of said path ahead of lastmentioned predetermined point, cutting the successive branch channels off the main channel above the pinched areas thereof at a point located beyond said stationary points, shifting the pinched branch channels and bags off the main channel along an auxiliary path, drying the cut areas, welding the openings of the bags above the pinched areas of their branch channels at a further point of said auxiliary path and releasing the welded bags.

10. An arrangement for packaging a fluid product inside the bags of a prefabricated string of bags of plastic material constituted by a common elongated channel of indefinite length and spaced branch channels opening into the corresponding bags to be filled, said arrangement comprising means defining a" predetermined path for said string, stationary means for filling the bags through injection of the fluid into the common channel at a point thereof registering with a predetermined point of its path, a

section of its path starting ahead of said predetermined, 'point, means driving the conveyor, clamping means carried by said conveyor adapted to operatively engage the branch channels at the beginning of said section of its path to carry said branch channels with their bags along said section of the path and then along an auxiliary path diverging with reference to the path of the common channel, stationary means for cutting the successive branch channels off the main channel above the point of engagement by the clamping means at the end of said section of the path lying beyond the predetermined stationary filling point, stationary means for closing the bags across the branch channels above the points engaged by the clamping means at a point of the auxiliary path, and means controlling the clamping means to operate same at the beginning of said section of the path and to return the clamping means to inoperativeness andthereby release the closed bags at the end of the auxiliary path.

11. An arrangement for packaging a fluid product inside the bags of a prefabricated string of bags of plastic material constituted by a common elongated channel of indefinite length and spaced branch channels opening into the corresponding bags to be filled, said arrangement comprising means defining a predetermined path for said string, stationary means for filling the bags through injection of the fluid into the common channel at a point thereof registering with a predetermined point of its path, 'a conveyor adapted to guide the string over a predetermined section of its path starting ahead of said predetermined point, means driving the conveyor, clamping means carried by said conveyor adapted to operatively engage the branch channels at the beginning of said section of its path to carry said branch channels with their bags along said section of the path and then along an auxiliary path diverging with reference to the path of the common channel, stationary means for cutting the successive branch channels oft" the main channel above the point of engagement by the clamping means at the end of said section of the path lying beyond the predetermined stationary filling point, means for drying the cut areas of the branch channels at a point of the auxiliary path of the branch channels and bags, means for welding the ,openings of the bags through the corresponding branch ch annels above the areas engaged by the clamping meaus conveyor adapted to guide the string over a predetermined at afurtherpoint of said auxiliary path, and means con trolling the clamping means to operate same at the beginning of said section of the path and to return the clamping means to inoperativeness and thereby release the closed bags at the end of the auxiliary path.

12. An arrangement for packaging a fluid product inside the bags of a prefabricated string of bags of plastic material constituted by a common elongated channel of indefinite length and spaced branch channels opening into the corresponding bags to be filled, said arrangement comprising means defining a predetermined path for said string, a rotary member revolving round a vertical axis and a portion of the periphery of which forms a guide for the string along a section of its path, a stationary fluidfeeding nozzle the input end of which extends tangentially to the rotary member and the output end of which is incurved coaxially round the latter, and is slidingly engaged by the inside of the common channel progressing towards the input end of the nozzle to open into said channel at the beginning of said section of its path, means for slotting continuously the common channel at a point of its path registering with the input end of the nozzle to allow the latter to enter the channel, means driving the rotary member, clamping means carried by said rotary member adapted to operatively engage the branch channels at the beginning of said section of the path to carry said branch channels with their bags along said sectionvof the path and then along an auxiliary path diverging with reference to the path of the common ch-annel'just beyond the slotting means, stationary means for cutting the successive branch channels off the main channel above the point of engagement by the clamping means at the end of said section of the path lying beyond the predetermined stationary filling point just ahead of the slotting means, stationary means for closing the bags across the branch channels above the points engaged by the clamping means at a point of the auxiliary path, and means controlling the clamping means to operate same at the beginning of said section of the path and to return the clamping means to inoperativeness and thereby release the clo-sed bags at the end of the auxiliary path.

13. An arrangement for packaging a fluid product inside the bags of a prefabricated string of bags of plastic material constituted by a common elongated channel of indefinite length and spaced branch channels opening into the corresponding bags to be filled, said arrangement comprising means defining a predetermined path for said string, stationary means for filling the bags through injection of the fluid into the common channel at a point thereof registering with a predetermined point of its path, a rotary member adapted to guide the string over av predeterminedsection of its path starting ahead of said predetermined point, means driving the rotary member, jaws carried by said rotary member movable with reference to the outer surface of the latter and spaced from each other in a plane perpendicular to the rotary axis of said rotary member by intervals corresponding to the spacing of the bags on the string, said jaws being adapted to operatively engage the branch channels at the beginning of said section of the path to carry said branch channels with their bags along said section of the path and then along an auxiliary path diverging with reference to the path of the common channel, stationary means for cutting the successive branch channels off the main channel above the point of engagement by the jaws at the end of said section of the path lying beyond the predetermined stationary filling point, stationary means for closing the bags across the branch channels above the points engaged by the jaws at a point of the auxiliary path, a stationary ,c-arn, means controlling the jaws, rotating in unison with the rotary member and adapted to be shifted by the cam between an inoperative position and a clamping position to urge said jaws into their operative position at the beginning of said section of the path and to be returned with the reases jaws to inoperativeness and thereby release the closed bags at the end of the auxiliary path.

' 14. An arrangement for packaging a fluid product inside the bags of a prefabricated string of bags of plastic material constituted by a common elongated channel of indefinite length and spaced branch channels opening into the corresponding bags to be filled, said arrangement comprising means defining a predetermined path for said string, stationary means for filling the bags through injection of the fluid into the common channel at a point thereof registering with a predetermined point of its path, a rotary member adapted to guide the string over a predetermined section of its path starting ahead of said predetermined point, means driving the rotary member round a vertical axis, jaws carried by said rotary member movable with reference to the outer surface of the latter and spaced from each other in a plane perpendicular to the rotary axis of said rotary member by intervals corresponding to the spacing of the bags on the string, said jaws being adapted to operatively engage the ranch channels at the beginning of said section of the path to carry said branch channels with their bags along said section of the path and then along an auxiliary path diverging with reference to the path of the common chan nel, stationary means for cutting the successive branch channels off the main channel above the point of engagement by the jams at the end of said section of the path lying beyond the predetermined stationary filling point, stationary means for closing the bags across the branch'channels above the points engaged by the jaws at a point of the auxiliary path, a vertical spindle revolubly carried by the rotary member in registry with each jaw to carry the latter at its lower end, a crank rigid with the upper end of each spindle and operatively controlled by the cam to be shifted by the cam between an inoperative position and a clamping position to urge said jaws into their operative position at the beginning of said section of the path and to be returned with the jaws to inoperativeness and thereby release the closed bags at the end of the auxiliary path.

15. An arrangement for packaging a fluid product inside the bags of a prefabricated string of bags of plastic material constituted by a common elongated channel of indefinite length and spaced branch channels opening into the corresponding bags to be filled, said arrangement comprising means defining a predetermined path for said string, stationary means for filling the bags through inw jection of the fluid into the common channel at a point thereof registering with a predetermined point of its path, a rotary member adapted to guide the string over a predetermined section of its path starting ahead of said predetermined point, means driving the rotary member, jaws carried by said rotary member movable with reference to the outer surface of the latter and spaced from each other in a plane perpendicular to the rotary axis of said rotary member by intervals corresponding to the spacing of the bags on the string, said jaws being adapted to operatively engage the branch channels at the beginning of said section of the path to carry said branch channels with their bags along said section of the path and then along an auxiliary path diverging with reference to the path of the common channel, stationary means for cutting the successive branch channels off the main channel above the point of engagement by the jaws at the end of said section of the path lying beyond the predetermined stationary filling point, stationary means for closing the bags across the branch channels above the points engaged by the jaws at a point of the auxiliary path, a vertical torsion bar revolubly carried by the rotary member in registry with each jaw to carry the latter at its lower end, a crank rigid with the upper end of each torsion bar and operatively controlled by the cam to be shifted by the cam between an inoperative position and a clamping position to urge said jaws into their operative position at the beginning of said section of the path and to be returned with the jaws to inoperativeness and thereby release the closed bags at the end of the auxiliary path.

16. An arrangement for packaging a fluid product inside the bags of a prefabricated string of bags of plastic material constituted by a common elongated channel of indefinite length and spaced branch channels opening into the corresponding bags to be filled, said arrangement comprising means defining a predetermined path for said string, a rotary member revolving round a vertical axis and a portion of the periphery of which forms a guide for the string along a section of its path, a string feeding wheel adapted to rotate round a vertical axis and provided with a plurality of peripheral fiat surfaces parallel with its axis and extending over breadths substantially equal to the spacings between the bags on the string, the string path extending over said wheelonto the periphery of the rotary member, a stationary fluid feeding nozzle the input end of which extends tangentially to the rotary member and the output end of which is incurved coaxially round the latter and is slidingly engaged by the inside of the common channel progressing towards the input end of the nozzle to open into said channel at the beginning of said section of its path, means for slotting continuously the common channel at a point of its path registering with the input end of the nozzle to allow the latter to enter the channel, means driving the rotary member, clamping means carried by said rotary member adapted to operatively engage the branch channels at the beginning of said section of the path to carry said branch channels with their bags along said section of the path and then along an auxiliary "path diverging with reference to the path of the common channel just beyond the slotting means, stationary means for cutting the successive branch channels off the main channel above the point of engagement by the clamping means at the end of said section of the path lying beyond the predetermined stationary filling point just ahead of the slotting means, stationary means for closing the bags across the branch channels above the points engaged by the clamping means at a point of the auxiliary path, and means controlling the clamping means to operate same at the beginning of said section of the path and to return the clamping means to inoperativeness and thereby release the closed bags at the end of the auxiliary path.

17. An arrangement for packaging a fluid product inside the bags of a prefabricated string of bags of plastic material constituted by a common elongated channel of indefinite length and spaced branch channels opening into the corresponding bags to be filled, said arrangement comprising means defining a predetermined path for said string, stationary means for filling the bags through injection of the fiuid into the common channel at a point thereof registering with a predetermined point of its path, a rotary member adapted to guide the string over a predetermined section of its path starting ahead of said predetermined point, means driving the rotary member, jaws carried by said rotary member movable with reference to the outer surface of the latter in registry with the locations of the successive bags and spaced from each other in a plane perpendicular to the rotary axis of said rotary member by intervals corresponding to the spacing ofvthe bags on the string, said jaw-s being adapted to operatively engage the branch channels at the beginning of said section of the path to carry said branch channels with their bags along said section of the path and then along an auxiliary path diverging with reference to the path of the common channel, stationary means for cutting the successive branch channels off the main channel above the point of engagement by the jaws at the end of said section of the path lying beyond the predetermined stationary filling point, stationary means for closing the bags across the branch channels above the points engaged by the jaws at a point of the auxiliary" path, a stationary cam, means controlling the jaws, rotating in unison with hin the rotary member and adapted to be shifted by the cam between an inoperative position and a clamping position V References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Carpenter Feb. 9, 1926 Howard Jan. 13, 1942 Peterson Jan. 20, 1953 McGinley Sept. 1, 1953 Williams Nov. 2, 1954 

